Bobby Brown didn’t need a full game to make a complete impact Saturday night.

Brown, a midgame replacement, homered and tripled as the Burlington Royals topped the Pulaski Mariners 2-1 in Appalachian League baseball at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

Brown’s home run swing came one day away from a significant anniversary for the former University of Arizona player.

“It was a good night,” said Brown, who made the most of the last four innings. “I definitely did.”

The outcome completed an impressive season-opening series, with a turnout of 3,175 on hand before the team embarks on a six-game road trip. The Royals are 3-0 for the first time in the seven-year Burlington / Kansas City affiliation.

Brown’s two-out, eighth-inning triple down the right-field line drove in Desmond Henry, who led off with a bunt single and moved to second base on Ramon Torres’ sacrifice bunt.

Brown, who entered the game in the top of the sixth inning as the first baseman, tied the game with a solo home run over the scoreboard in right field in the bottom of the frame.

He last homered June 21, 2012, — one year and one day earlier — in a College World Series game for Arizona in a romp past Florida State.

His triple came on a two-strike pitch, with Burlington manager Tommy Shields saying he was glad Brown kept his concentration with Henry on the move between second and third base.

Brown’s hits marked Burlington’s first home run and first triple of the season.

Noel De La Cruz left a fastball in the middle inside part of the plate on Brown’s homer.

“I took advantage,” Brown said of the blast.

It was one of five hits permitted by De La Cruz.

“(He) made one bad pitch,” Pulaski manager Chris Prieto said.

Brown was in the game because first baseman Sam Bates was on a predetermined innings limit as he recovers from an ankle injury. Bates was done after five innings.

“I knew I was coming in in the sixth, so I got ready,” Brown said. “It worked out. I had a chance to watch the starting pitcher and see what he was doing.”

Brown is apt to be in the batting order tonight when the Royals start a series at Princeton, W.Va.

“You hit the game winner, you get in the lineup,” Shields said.

Bates figures to have another chance, too. Well …

“They might have their Wally Pipp over there,” Prieto said, referencing the former big leaguer who lost his starting role at the start of Lou Gehrig’s 2.130 consecutive games played.

Meanwhile, it was another sterling performance from a trio of Royals pitchers, who combined for a four-hitter.

Page 2 of 2 - “Isn’t it good?” catcher Chad Johnson said. “The starters are going five to six innings and the bullpen has been great. Keeping the hitters off balance. … If they are in jams, the pitchers have been calm.”

Kevin McCarthy was the winning pitcher in relief of Cesar Ogando, who logged five solid innings. McCarthy (1-0) threw three shutout innings, giving up one hit in his professional debut.

Jose Rodriguez struck out the side in the ninth for his first save.

“It was a great series,” Shields said. “What I liked is we threw strikes. All the new guys have come in and have done that.”

Pulaski scored in the second inning on Franklin Diaz’s RBI double, snapping an 18-inning scoreless streak for Burlington pitchers.

“We’re definitely pitched well enough to win three games,” Prieto said. “Offensively, it looks like we’re trying to do too much. Some teams get tested right out of the gate and we’re getting tested.”